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Bill calls for WWII reparations before railroad contract

A company that transported Jews to concentration camps during the Nazi Holocaust wants to do business in Maryland, but some lawmakers have created a bill to make sure they have to first pay for their actions nearly 80 years ago. David Collins reports.

A company that transported Jews to concentration camps during the Nazi Holocaust wants to do business in Maryland, but some lawmakers have created a bill to make sure they have to first pay for their actions nearly 80 years ago. David Collins reports.

Updated: 11:05 AM EDT Mar 11, 2014

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Bill calls for WWII reparations before railroad contract

A company that transported Jews to concentration camps during the Nazi Holocaust wants to do business in Maryland, but some lawmakers have created a bill to make sure they have to first pay for their actions nearly 80 years ago. David Collins reports.

WEBVTT SCHOOLKIDS SO THAT NO ONE WOULD FORGET THE STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST. HE IS SURVIVED BY THREE CHILDREN AND TWO GRANDCHILDREN. HE WAS PLANNING TO TESTIFY IN ANNAPOLIS TODAY ABOUT LEGISLATION CONCERNING WORLD WAR II. THE MEASURE REQUIRES COMPANIES THAT WERE INVOLVED IN TRANSPORTING VICTIMS TO CONCENTRATION CAMPS TO PAY REPARATIONS IF THEY WANT TO BID ON CERTAIN PUBLIC PROJECTS IN MARYLAND. DAVID COLLINS HAS THE REPORT. THE WEEKEND PASSING OF LEO, MAKING AN APPEARANCE BETWEEN THE HOUSE MAY EDGEWAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, LED URGENCY TO THE CAUSE. HE HAD BEEN THE FACE AND VOICE FOR THE COALITION OF HOLOCAUST REAL JUSTICE. THE LEGISLATION PROHIBITS COMPANIES LIKE SUBSIDIARIES FROM BIDDING ON PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IN MARYLAND UNLESS THEY PAY REPARATIONS. THE BILL'S SPONSOR REMINDED THE COMMITTEE THAT ANY HOLOCAUST VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES LIVE IN MARYLAND. THEIR FACE WITH THE PROSPECT OF THEIR TAX DOLLARS GOING TO PAY -- GOING TO A COMPANY, THE PROFITS OF THE COMPANY, THAT TRANSPORTED THEM AND THEIR RELEVANCE -- RELATIVES TO DEATH DANCE. DATE PER -- MAINTAIN THAT THEY WERE COERCED BY THE NOT SEES -- COERCED BY THE NAZIS. I FIND IT INSULTING. THEY INVOICED HE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AFTER THE LIBERATION OF PARIS. LEO WAS ONE OF THE PASSENGERS BOUND FOR AUSCHWITZ. THEY LEAPT FROM A CATTLE CAR WINDOW. SHE LOST HER FATHER TO A DEATH CAMP AND NEARLY LOST HER LIFE, HAD SHE NOT BEEN HIDDEN. PLEASE, PLEASE, HONOR LEO'S LIFE. PLEASE HELP US BRING JUSTICE AND PEACE TO 76,000 SOULS. COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT IF THE BILL PASSES, IT WOULD JEOPARDIZE FEDERAL FUNDING. THEY ALSO HAVE A CONTACT -- A CONTRACT TO OPERATE TRAINS IN ISRAEL. WE CANNOT HAVE THIS COMPANY OPERATING THE PURPLE LINE WITHOUT HAVING A KNOWLEDGE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND TAKEN STEPS TO CLOSE THE WOUNDS THAT THEY HAVE CAUSED. THE BILL COULD VIOLATE FEDERAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING QUIRE MEN'S -- REQUIREMENTS. THE COMPANY CONTENDS THAT THEY